Best Hikes of Shenandoah National Park
- ventureswithvictoria
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
In the summer of 2017, I managed to snag a position as an Interpretive Park Ranger Intern at Shenandoah National Park; it was by far one of the best summers of my life! I got to explore much of the park in my time off, hiking to my heart’s content. The great thing about Shenandoah is that a lot of the hikes are on the shorter side and are relatively easy to access from Skyline Drive, which means you can see a lot in a short time. Here are a few of my favorite - and some of the park’s best - hikes.
Old Rag
Distance: 9.4 mile loop
Elevation Gain: 2348 ft
Old Rag is perhaps the park’s most famous hike with it being one the country’s best hikes. The hike features incredible rock scrambles as you make your way along a ridge featuring 360 degree views. While you do have to earn your views, this hike is pure fun! Of note, hikers must leave the main part of the park to access this hike, and they must have a day use ticket between March and November.
Whiteoak Canyon
Distance: varies, 4.6 to 8.1 miles
Elevation Gain: varies, 1040 to 2794 ft
This waterfall hike is perfect for those looking to take a dip in the water on a hot summer day. With abundant blue holes and cascades, this hike, like Old Rag, is full of fun. There are several ways to do this hike. Hikers can choose to start from Skyline Drive and complete a circuit with the Cedar Run Trail or they can start from the park’s boundary off of Route 600.
Hawksbill Summit
Distance and Elevation Gain:
Upper Trail: 2.1 miles, 520 ft
Lower Trail: 1.7 miles, 640 ft
Hawksbill Summit is Shenandoah’s tallest peak that unsurprisingly showcases some excellent views. You have your choice between two trails: Upper Hawksbill or Lower Hawksbill. Upper Hawksbill is a bit easier but Lower Hawksbill to me was a bit more scenic. Either way, can’t really go wrong!
Mary’s Rock
Distance and Elevation Gain:
Panorama parking area: 3.7 miles, 1210 ft
Meadow Springs Trailhead: 2.9 miles, 830 ft
Another amazing viewpoint hike just off the Appalachian Trail, the top of this hike features several large boulders that are fun to scramble up and relax on while enjoying the view. I hiked up here on the 4th of July and enjoyed a lovely sunset. You have two trailheads you can start from, either the Meadow Springs Trailhead or from the Panorama parking area. Both take you along the AT and are fairly similar.
Limberlost
Distance: 1.4 mile loop
Elevation Gain: 100 ft
The Limberlost Trail is one of the best trails for seeing mountain laurel once it’s in bloom, typically sometime in early June. The trail used to boast massive Eastern Hemlock trees, but unfortunately, these were destroyed by the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid. One thing I love about this trail is that it is now fully ADA-accessible, which makes for a lovely stroll for the whole family. If you’re looking for a quiet, peaceful hike, this is for you.
Blackrock Summit
Distance: 1 mile loop
Elevation Gain: 175 ft
Located in the southern section of the park, this hike showcases one of the park’s best examples of a rocky talus slope. Look carefully and you may find trace fossils of ancient worm burrows, also known as skolithos, from when the area was covered by ocean.
Blackrock Overlook
Distance: 0.5 mile
Elevation Gain: 62 ft
Not to be confused with Blackrock Summit in the south, Blackrock Overlook is a short trail leading to a rocky overlook behind the Big Meadows Lodge. It’s a great place to settle in for sunset as you may be able to spot one of the black bears that frequent the clearing behind the lodge in the early evening.
Bearfence Rock
Distance: 1.4 mile loop
Elevation Gain: 311 ft
While many consider this an easier alternative to Old Rag, Bearfence Rock is an excellent hike in its own right. Involving a short stretch of easy rock scrambling, it treats hikers to 360 degree views of the surrounding hills and mountains. It’s a great hike for kids and adults alike. Head up the rock scramble first, then connect with the Appalachian Trail heading back.
Rose River Loop + Dark Hollow Falls
Distance: 5 mile loop
Elevation Gain: 1453 ft
One of the best waterfall hikes in the park, this loop takes hikers along a forested trail bordered by a creek to two famous waterfalls, Rose River Falls and Dark Hollow Falls. You can check out a more detailed blog post about this trail here.
Compton Peak
Distance: 2.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 855 ft
If you love cool geology, then this is the hike for you! This hike has the park’s best collection of columnar jointing, a rarity on the East Coast. Columnar jointing is a collection of typically hexagonal-shaped rocks that are formed when lava cools, causing the basalt to shrink and crack.
Hightop Summit
Distance: 3 miles
Elevation Gain: 935 ft
Hightop Summit is one of my favorite sunset hikes in the park. Relatively busy during the day, I had it to myself for a post-work evening hike. It’s a great place to enjoy the layers of mountain ridges the region is known for. It also gives hikers a chance to spend some time on the famous Appalachian Trail.
Stony Man + Little Stony Man Loop
Distance: 3.4 mile loop
Elevation Gain: 770 ft
Chock full of rocky outcrops and wildflowers in the summer, this loop combining the Passamaquoddy Trail and Appalachian Trail takes hikers to some of the best views in the park, including an overlook of the Skyline Drive itself. Keep an eye out for the profile of a face in the rock!
Frazier Discovery Trail
Distance: 1.2 mile loop
Elevation Gain: 429 ft
Located near the Loft Mountain Wayside, this “discovery hike” packs a punch and definitely gets the heart rate up! But the expansive view over the southern mountains of the park make the climb worth it.
Big Meadow
Distance: varies
Elevation Gain: minimal
While technically not an official “hike” per se, the Big Meadow across from the main visitor center is a wonderful place to explore. Visited by deer, rabbits, various birds, and the occasional bear, it’s a great place to spot wildlife. It’s also a surprisingly diverse place filled with various flowers and grasses. Let yourself get lost among the deer trails and see what you find!
I have so many hikes that I love in this park that you might be thinking that I’ve just listed all of the trails in the park. But with over 500 miles of trail, I haven’t even come close to exploring the whole park! Save this post for your next trip to Shenandoah!
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